Ex-Niger Delta agitators plan protest over deplorable East-West Road, blame Umahi

A group of former agitators in the Niger Delta region, on Thursday, announced plans for a massive protest over the deteriorating state of the East-West road.

The ex-agitators, led by Osaanya Osaanya, claim the road project has been abandoned despite its critical importance to national infrastructure, including the Onne port, Port Harcourt Refinery, and Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Ltd.

The protesters, who dubbed the planned demonstration as the “mother of all protests,” said they aim to mobilize hundreds of youths from the region to demand immediate attention from the Federal Government.

The protest is expected to last for days, with the goal of compelling the government to fix the road, which they describe as a “death trap.”

Osaanya criticized the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for allegedly awarding the road contract to a sub-standard contractor, causing unnecessary suffering for the people of the Niger Delta.

He called on various groups and leaders in the region, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, to join the protest and demand that the government take immediate action to address the situation.

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Osaanya said, “The problem we are facing on the East-West Road is caused by Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works.

“How on earth will he carve out the most disturbing spot that needs urgent attention to a sub-standard contractor?

“Or is the Minister of Works intentionally suffering the people of the Niger Delta? We will bring the protest to the doorstep of the Minister and the President so that they will know what we are going through.

“We can’t continue to live like this as a people. This is the major road connecting all of us in the Niger Delta, where the bulk of the resources used in constructing mega roads in other parts of the country come from.

“Why should we always be on our knees to beg for what we rightly deserve? This coming protest is another sad reminder of how we have been marginalised and neglected as a people,” he said.

The planned protest highlights the long-standing neglect and marginalization of the Niger Delta region, which has been a source of frustration for the local population.

The ex-agitators’ demands for a decent road infrastructure resonate with the wider community, who feel their resources have been exploited without adequate investment in their welfare and development.

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